


One Night In History

by Morpheus626



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26671957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626
Summary: Written for my DL server Bingo Card prompt: Viking Age.This one had me stumped, putting it mildly (this is draft and idea three for this prompt.) But finally, I came up with this. It’s...something.The lads, a museum, a failure by them to read said museum hours, a failure by the museum in not having a night guard, and a wondering as to which exhibit is adequate for an unexpected sleepover.Also, Emotions.Set around...let’s say 1977 just because.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17
Collections: Dork Lovers Server Challenges





	One Night In History

John would argue it was not his fault. Purely by going in first, why should he have read the sign about the hours? 

Freddie would argue that, as the one who had begged for a museum visit, it was not his job to have checked the hours of said museum. Surely, that didn’t fall to him, simply for missing the quiet splendor of a museum environment? 

Brian argued that it was not his fault either, even if he had done the calling to find an open museum (of any kind, art, history, etc.) He had been asked to find an open one, and that he had. No one had asked him to check on the hours of it, didn’t they remember that? 

Roger argued that it wasn’t his fault, as he was just along for the ride. He had no strong feelings one way or another about how they spent their last few days in the current city before heading onto the next, and he was happy to spend it with them however. So at what point should he have concerned himself with the museum hours? 

“So we agree,” Roger said as they carefully walked about the dark halls of the museum. “It’s the museum’s fault. Don’t they have security, or something? Someone who should have been kicking everyone out?” 

“Apparently not,” Brian sighed. “It’s a smaller city, maybe they feel they don’t need it?” 

“Maybe they do have someone, but he didn’t show for his shift?” John pondered. “Can’t say I blame him. It wasn’t bad in the light, but in the dark...it certainly doesn’t gain anything.” 

“How can you judge exhibits you can’t see properly?” Freddie laughed. “Besides, it’s only for tonight. We’ll scare whoever comes to open up for the morning, and then be free. Didn’t any of you ever want to be locked in somewhere at night, just to see what the place was like with everyone else gone?” 

“The library,” Brian and Roger said together. 

“School, maybe?” John shrugged. “Never really was bothered about that idea for any place, I suppose.” 

“Well, be excited about it,” Freddie said. “We might not get the chance again. It’s not unlike school or a library, if we explore I’m sure we’ll stumble upon a room of books or two-” 

“We shouldn’t snoop around,” Brian interrupted. “We don’t know what we might disturb.” 

“...Are you insinuating there’s some ancient curse we’ll awaken by fumbling around here in the dark?” Roger asked with a sarcastic toss of his head. 

“I meant, there could be sensitive research, things in the process of being preserved, that we might disturb,” Brian replied sharply. 

“Right, and ancient curses,” Roger grinned. 

“Boys,” Freddie warned, before they could properly get into it. “Let’s enjoy this for what it is, and make the best of it.” 

“Where will we sleep?” John wondered, peering into exhibits as they walked past them. 

“We don’t need to sleep, there’s exploring to do,” Freddie replied. 

“No, he’s right,” Brian said. “We should at least have an idea of a spot, somewhere we can’t get locked into like a back room, but somewhere that we won’t give someone a heart attack when they come in for the morning...” 

“Oh, I’ve got it,” Roger smiled. “Future of the World exhibit! Space Age beds, and all that.” 

“Not bad,” Brian nodded. “What about the Stone Age area though, lots of soft imitation furs, open space?” 

“There’s literally four benches in the lobby,” John said. “I meant the benches. They’re right up front-” 

“Oh! I’ve got one better!” Freddie interrupted, and led them down another hall. “Viking Age! Even more room than Stone Age, and no beds like Future of the World, but things that are plenty soft and could make good beds, without also possibly electrocuting us.” 

“I wasn’t asking for anyone to suggest other spo...fine,” John muttered. “I thought you wanted to have a look around, anyway?” 

“We still can,” Freddie replied. “We’ll just make this our home base. Leave our coats and things here, come back once we’re done, and settle down for the night.” 

“And what exactly are we hoping to find, in our wandering?” Brian asked, laughing as Freddie motioned for them to set their things down and take after him. 

“I don’t know,” Freddie replied. “Nothing in particular. Whatever there is to be found.” 

“You’re absolutely chuffed, aren’t you?” John giggled. 

“I am,” Freddie nodded. “It’s a lovely break from the monotony, you know? What would we be doing now, if we weren’t locked in here?” 

“Sleeping,” John replied. 

“Reading,” Brian said. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Roger grinned. 

“The point is, all things we could do any other night, in any other city, in any other boring hotel,” Freddie declared as he led them out of the Viking area and down another main hall, then into a back hall, only the emergency lighting to guide them. “This, on the other hand-” 

He giggled as Brian darted past him, into an open room full of bookshelves. 

“Archives?” 

Brian nodded. “I know I said we ought to be careful...but I will be, and I’m absolutely amazed by the state of this; I mean, such a little museum, but look at all this!” 

“Shall we head on without you?” Freddie continued, but Brian only nodded, hands already reaching for books. 

Further along the back halls were more rooms, some appearing to be only general storage, others with unpacked boxes of who knew what, and-

“Interesting,” John said as they stepped into what appeared to be a control room. Temperature settings, lights, and more were all labeled. “They have all this, but no security system? I wonder if there isn’t one and they’ve not turned it on.” 

“You know there’s more museum to see, right?” Roger laughed. “You can’t seriously want to...you do, don’t you? You want to stay here and look at all this?” 

John was already gone, murmuring to himself about various things in regards to the systems in the room, looking over switches, opening up boards that revealed even more switches.

They continued on, but the rest of the rooms were unremarkable, at least to the two of them. 

“As exciting as you were hoping?” Roger asked softly as they wandered out of the back halls, into the lobby. 

“Not exactly,” Freddie admitted. “But I’m glad there was something for Brian and John, at least.” 

They settled on one of the benches John had recommended as beds earlier, and winced. 

“He wanted us to sleep on these,” Roger said, and shook his head. “Never would have lasted on this.” 

“Me neither,” Freddie agreed. 

They sat in near-silence, the only sounds coming from the buzzing of the emergency lights, their own breathing, and the occasional gust of wind outside the building. 

“Speaking of lasting,” Roger said. “Can we talk, about that?” 

“About what?” 

“You brought it up yourself,” Roger continued. “The monotony of touring, the burn out. If you need a break-” 

“I didn’t say that,” Freddie interrupted, sounding hurt. “We all find it boring as all fuck sometimes, don’t we? Or am I alone in that?” 

“You aren’t alone in that,” Roger replied. “I wasn’t trying to put words in your mouth, honest. I only mean that if it ever gets to that point...I’d want all of us to feel comfortable to admit it, you know? We can work around that. Take longer breaks in between tours, change up how the tours are tabled out, all that.” 

A few moments of silence fell again, and they both shivered as a particularly loud gust of wind went by. 

“That’ll be bad weather then,” Freddie sighed. “Hate traveling when it’s ghastly out.” 

Roger nodded. 

“Did my comment really get you thinking about all that?” Freddie asked softly. 

“Thought about it for awhile,” Roger shrugged. “You talking about it just brought it to the front of my mind, rather than on the backburner.” 

“Are you...Roger, are you alright?” 

Roger brushed away tears. “Fine. Ignore it.” 

“I will not,” Freddie said, and turned to take one of Roger’s hands, sitting so he was facing him directly. “Talk.” 

“It’s stupid,” Roger muttered. “Got thinking silly things...someday, we’ll be just another display possibly, you know? Some exhibit about bands of the seventies, maybe. And I don’t...” 

He sighed. “I don’t want anything on it that shows we didn’t care for each other, you know? That we didn’t take care of each other, or weren’t mindful of each other. I don’t want any of us burning out and doing something stupid, and-” 

Roger’s voice cracked. “I’m not searching for another fucking singer, or guitarist, or bassist, you understand? If any of us go now...that’s it. I’ll pack up and move to the fucking countryside, I swear. It’s the dumbest fucking thing, but I don’t know if I could bear it.” 

“You would find someone,” Freddie said. “This is what you like doing, even when you’re tired of it.” 

“I know,” Roger grumbled. “I’d last a week in the countryside.” 

“That’s generous,” Freddie smiled. “I’d give you a day or two. Are you thinking of...” 

He trailed off, only because there were at least two big names that came to mind in the recent months. Elvis had passed, as had Marc from T Rex, and there was nothing to make you consider your own mortality like watching other musicians die from various unnatural causes and accidents. 

Roger nodded. “I don’t know why it’s come up so much lately. Can’t get it out of my head regardless. And I don’t want anything happening to us.” 

“You’re in good luck,” Freddie soothed, letting Roger wrap him in a hug. “Nothing is happening to any of us. Except maybe a backache, from sleeping in a museum tonight, but I think we’ll all survive that.” 

Roger smiled, and wiped away his tears again as he let Freddie go and sat back. “I must look a right idiot right now.” 

“No,” Freddie said. “You look like a concerned friend, bandmate, and like someone who needs some sleep.” 

“You look the same,” Roger said. 

“I do,” Freddie nodded. “Shall we head back and bed down? Let the other two follow when they want?” 

There was no shame in being as close as they all were, but all the same, in this particular moment, it was a very intimate thing, how Roger held his hand as they walked back to the Viking Age exhibit. Something fragile and dear had been exposed, and it was good that it had, but all the same, now it needed to be cared for carefully. 

It was part of why there was no more talking as they settled down together on the part of the exhibit that offered the chance to ‘touch the past’ with the imitation fur covered replica beds and other pieces of replica furniture. 

They took to one of the beds, and Roger finally broke the silence. 

“You would tell me though, wouldn’t you? If you needed a break? If any of this was too much?” 

“I promise you, I would,” Freddie replied. “Only if you can promise me the same.” 

Roger nodded, and snuggled up to him. “Think the other two would promise the same?” 

“I know they would, and will, if you ask them later,” Freddie said. “And if it makes you feel better, you should ask. They won’t mind, you know that.” 

Roger’s eyes fluttered as he tried to hold them open, and Freddie stayed quiet until they finally closed, and Roger’s breathing slowed. 

“And you’ve got to promise me you won’t save all this inside again,” Freddie sighed to Roger’s sleeping face. “Talk to me, the next time something like this comes up. Don’t hang onto it until it brings you to tears.” 

Roger, apparently half-hearing him, nodded. 

“Good,” Freddie said, and let himself relax. Suddenly, Roger’s ambivalence over the day made so much sense, as did the tension he felt in Roger’s back as he threw his arm over him. How long had his friend been hanging onto these worries and fears, all on his own?

They were out completely by the time Brian and John wandered back, yawning and talking with each other about how they’d spent their time. They took to the other replica bed, just before the sun began to rise. 

\---

“Sorry again, about missing the last call announcement,” Brian called back to the museum staff as they left. “At least they were nice enough about it, finding us in there.” 

Freddie nodded. “Could have been much worse. They seemed almost used to it.” 

“If they don’t start using the damned alarm system they have,” John said. “Then they’ll probably keep having it happen. Their ruddy announcement system is broken, the alarm has never been set once since it was installed, why would you even bother; I mean, the state of the place-” 

“Deep breaths,” Roger interrupted him. “You’ll never have to see that poorly run of a place again, alright? Just forget about that room-” 

“It’s going to haunt my fucking dreams,” John groaned. “And I thought I’d seen the worst at half the venues we end up at. I had no idea...” 

“Lucky then that we’re on our way elsewhere,” Freddie said.

“Yes, so I can see some other poorly put together electrical system, or alarm system, or lighting, and have nightmares about that,” John muttered. 

“No nightmares,” Freddie said. “Think we all ought to just take it easy for the next day or two. Relish what we’ve got, you know?” 

“How do you mean?” Brian asked. 

“Touring is hard, but we’ve got each other to lean on through it,” Freddie replied. “And we might see some ridiculous shit, or have to deal with it, but end of the day, we’re on to another city and away from all of it. We’ll all be alright, in the end.”

Roger gave him a gentle look. “Yeah. We will be, won’t we?” 

They were, as they made their way back to the hotel and a panicked road crew, who had spent the night wondering where in the fuck they were, and why they hadn’t come back from the museum. There was something kind and soothing in the energy that existed in the van as they boarded and started on for the next city, sitting near and almost laying across one another as they got comfortable for the long haul. 

And Freddie hoped it would hold out, and carry on through the rest of the tour, for all their sakes, but certainly for Roger. Who now, at least, seemed calmed and relaxed, nodding off with his head in Freddie’s lap. 

If Roger was right, and history did remember them, Freddie hoped it might somehow find and remember the moments like that. 


End file.
